1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an athletic training and conditioning device and, more particularly, to a device and method for accelerating heat extraction via an individual's palm during and after physical exercise by that individual.
2. Description of Related Art
Heat is scientifically proven to be a limiting factor in exercise. When the body's core is kept cool, an individual is able to perform better, longer, and more confidently. The palm of the hand is scientifically shown to be a natural radiator point on the body. Special blood vessels, found under the palm surface called arteriovenous anastomoses, bring heated blood from the body's core and dissipate heat at the body's extremities.
As is known in the art, enhanced heat extraction from a person's body should improve performance capacity of the person. Specifically, according to the article entitled “Heat Extraction Through the Palm of One Hand Improves Aerobic Exercise Endurance In a Hot Environment”, authored by Dennis Grahn, Vinh Cao, and Craig Heller of the Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford Calif., published on May 5, 2005 in the Journal of Applied Physiology (hereinafter “the Heat Extraction article”), incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, it is asserted that “[i]n situations where the accumulation of internal heat limits physical performance, enhanced heat extraction from the body should improve performance capacity. The combined application of local subatmospheric pressure (35-45 mmHg) to an entire hand (to increase blood volume) and a heat sink (18-22° C.) to the palmar surface were used to draw heat out of the circulating blood.”
The Heat Extraction article discloses a heat extraction device of AVAcore Technologies, Ann Arbor, Mich., commercially marketed as the CoreControl that includes “a rigid chamber into which a hand could be inserted through an elastic structure that formed a flexible airtight seal around the wrist. The rigid chamber [is] connected to a pressure sensor, a pressure relief valve (cracking pressure −45 mmHg), and a vacuum source [the building in-house system or a commercially available vacuum pump ( 1/10th horsepower; model SR-0015-VP, Thomas Industries, Louisville, Ky.)]. A water trap consisting of a 1,000-ml filter flask (VWR) [is] plumbed into the vacuum line upstream of the vacuum pump. Activation of the vacuum pump [creates] a slight subatmospheric chamber pressure (−40 mmHg). Inside the chamber, the palm [rests] on a curved metal surface that [is] maintained at 22° C. or 18° C. (−0.5° C.) by perfusion of the temperature-controlled water beneath it. The hand interface [is] tethered via Tygon tubing (8-mm bore, 3-mm wall) to a temperature-controlled heated/refrigerated circulating water bath (model RM 6, Lauda, Konigshofen, Germany) that [regulates] the temperature of the circulating water. The hand interface device [is] suspended from the ceiling by an elastic cord so that the subject [can] maintain normal arm movements while walking.”
The Heat Extraction article discusses the naturally occurring phenomenon of the radiator-like properties of the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet in the context of how “[t]he heat extraction technology takes advantage of adaptations for heat transfer that are features of certain nonhairy skin surfaces. The arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) and venous plexuses in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet are effective mechanisms for heat dissipation when core body temperature rises. [The heat extraction] device previously described is used to apply a 35 to 45-mmHg subatmospheric pressure to an entire hand to draw blood into the hand and increase the filling of the venous plexus underlying the palmar surface. A heat sink applied to that palm extracts heat and cools the venous blood. In the present study, [the researchers] used the device in an attempt to slow the rate of core temperature rise of individuals engaged in aerobic exercise in a hot environment. The hypothesis to be tested in these studies was that manipulation of heat balance by enhancing heat loss from the hand can increase the endurance capacity of individuals exercising at a fixed workload in a hot environment.”
Of note, in another article entitled “The Effectiveness of Hand Cooling at Reducing Exercise-Induced Hyperthermia and Improving Distance-Race Performance in Wheelchair and Able-Bodied Athletes”, authored by Victoria Goosey-Tolfrey, Michelle Swainson, Craig Boyd, Greg Atkinson, and Keith Tolfrey, published on Apr. 24, 2008 in the Journal of Applied Physiology, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, also discusses the general concept of hand cooling to increase performance in postexercise hyperthermic subjects.
The aforementioned prior art CoreControl device, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,208 to Grahn et al., incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, is limited in its applications and has various other disadvantages associated therewith. First, such a device is expensive in that its current day cost is $3,000.00 per unit. Second, such a device is not portable in that it is weighty and cumbersome and needs to be set-up prior to exercise and monitored while in use in a fixed location, as evidenced in FIG. 1 of the Grahn patent. Third, the device is over-engineered in that it requires motors and vacuums that are used to increase blood flow, even though it is accepted that blood flow increases naturally during exercise. Fourth, the moving parts and complex operation make it impractical for use by an average person. This is evidenced by the fact that the CoreControl is marketed toward sports organizations and other entities having personnel dedicated to working with the individual who would use the device.
It is, therefore, desirable to overcome the above problems and others by providing a device for extracting heat from the palm of a hand, wherein such a device is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, portable, comfortable to use, easy to operate, and overall practical in its implementation.